Tag Archives: Historic Green Village on Pine Avenue

Pine Avenue has been receiving a lot of local attention as the Pine Avenue Development Group has brought new businesses to this main street of Anna Maria City. Although the businesses are new, the intention of the developers is to preserve the feeling of Old Florida as well as the integrity of the business district, which was at risk of being converted to newly constructed rental housing units.

Meanwhile, there are a few places on Pine Avenue that are truly historical, and most obvious is Roser Memorial Community Church. Now celebrating its 100th year, this beautiful institution continues to serve the community in ways that reach beyond denominations and even beyond church affiliation of any kind.

Roser Memorial Community Church

Music being presented at the church in this season’s concert series is sublime, regardless of one’s beliefs. The first performance, on January 20, featured pianist Davide Cabassi, a finalist in the 2005 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. A fine Steinway concert grand piano was rented by the church and, in its elevated position, could be easily seen by the audience, which filled all the pews. The acoustics were impressive.

Mr. Cabassi opened his program with Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K. 331. A long first movement of a lyrical theme and variations introduced the audience to the brilliant sound of an excellent instrument, as well as to the performer’s expertise. The audience displayed its own expertise as listeners, by not applauding after the first movement, as uneducated audiences have been known to do even in places supposedly much more sophisticated than Anna Maria. After another gentle movement, a Menuetto, the intensity finally started to pick up in the third movement, Allegretto, “Alla Turca.”

Moving a Historical Building

The north part of Anna Maria Island underwent major remodeling as a couple of large construction projects dominated the landscape in mid May. The most unusual project was the relocation of the historical Angler’s Lodge, which had sat on North Bay Boulevard for 97 years.

On May 23, a temporary steel bridge was built across Lake LaVista inlet, in order to move the 150-ton lodge to an empty lot on the other side of the water. The ultimate destination, the Historic Green Village on Pine Avenue, was to be reached the following day. The original plan was to start building the bridge by 7 am, and have the house moved across the water by noon. Not surprisingly, it took far longer … most of the day. This gave curious onlookers plenty of time to watch. The adjacent humpback bridge was filled with people all day.

The Angler’s Lodge was built in 1913. Until 1950, the building was called “Thelma by the Sea.” Thelma was the name of the daughter of the builder, Mr. R. J. Wood. In the 1940s, the second floor was added, and soon after, the building was called Angler’s Lodge.